VIBHUTI PADA

Samyama Mastery over the three

Trayam_Ekatra Samyamah

|| 3.04 ||

Sustained state of the three

Is perfect mastery.

Trayam: all of the above three  Ekatra: in respect of one object Samyamah: self master

3.04 Q:What is Samyama? When  the  processes  of meditation, contemplation and absorption are  continuously  and  exclusively applied  to  the  one  object,  it  is  called  samyama.

The application of the combined force of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi upon any particular object about which one wants to know everything with a hundred per cent fullness and clarity is Samyama. Samyama is specifically combining the application of the combined force of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi on a chosen object. Samayama is a collective term under which the last three steps of the eight aspects of Yoga are grouped together.

One can make Samyama say on water, a distant star, fire, whatever and know everything about that object. By Samyama on the object, one becomes independent of the object, the object cannot affect the person. Hence the person can get a very correct knowledge about the object. When one is influenced by the object, that is, he is not independent of the object, the knowledge gained turns out to be imperfect.

The deepest truth about an object is revealed to the seeker who combines the force of concentration, meditation and absorption on a chosen object.

It should however be noted that the ultimate object is union with reality and not knowledge of objects. Patanjali mentions about attainments that are possible in later aphorisms. It is in this context he refers to Samyama.

Different levels of bliss are available; there are different levels of heaven - different grades of heaven. You want to call it as heaven or different dimensions of life or different levels of consciousness, whatever.

When the mind is free from activity or functioning, it vanishes and the Self is revealed. This state has been described by the commentator Shankara as ...Super sensuous state. Swami Vivekananda